#Y180710FH 90s Hip Hop Instrumental returned

[KaiE]

Hello there,

So a while ago i saw a listing that got my eye. It was the one below. I produced an old school instrumental for that one,
tried to give it a fresh and groovy vibe with an overall positive atmosphere and some melody changes as well. I got this in return:

"Hi Kai,
Thanks for your submissions.
I love the sound of your drums.
However, I feel that this isn't quite as "melodically and rhythmically engaging" as their references. In order to get closer, try giving more movement to your bass line a la their Bruno Mars reference."

I really don't want to bash other artist, but i have checked a few other forwarded submissions (also for the first listing, this was posted the second time, because they haven't found the right sound first).
And i really don't get why my instrumental is less melodically engaging than other forwarded submissions. I have noticed that some of them have way less melodic parts or even just a 2-3 second loop
for almost 3 minutes straight with rarely any variety in it. So yea, i hate to compare it with others, but this time it just won't go into my head. I submitted another instrumental, too (returned, but don't care)
and for both instrumentals they came with the "a la their Bruno Mars reference..." sentence, although i tried to pay attention to the other references since the Bruno Mars reference doesn't even sound
like a 90s / early 2000's hip hop instrumental to me.

But what ever, would like to hear your opinion on my instrumental: https://soundcloud.com/coldfingazbeats/ ... ght-groove

Y180710FH
FUN, 1990’s to EARLY 2000’s-Style HIP-HOP INSTRUMENTALS are needed by TUESDAY (July 10th) for an (up to) $30,000, Direct-to-Music Supervisor placement as the Opening Theme Music in a new TV Series on a huge Global Cable Network. NOTE: We recently ran this request as (TAXI # Y180520FH), but they still haven’t found what they are looking for. They not only asked us to run another search, but they TRIPLED THE LICENSING FEE! If you submitted to TAXI # Y180520FH, please submit different material this time around! They’re looking for Mid-to-Up-Tempo Instrumentals that are in the general stylistic wheelhouse of the following references our client gave us: The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air Theme Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nCqRmx3Dnw “Finesse” by Bruno Mars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRSaiAREnwI “It Takes Two” by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phOW-CZJWT0 Although the references have vocals, this request is for Instrumentals only. Please submit original, well-crafted Hip-Hop Instrumentals that authentically capture the Hip-Hop sound of that glorious ‘90’s era. Your Instrumentals should be melodically and rhythmically engaging, with a tone, feel, and vibe that would fit right in with the examples above. Your submissions can be actual old school Instrumentals recorded in the 1990’s or early 2000’s, or they can be Instrumentals recently recorded and just inspired by that era.

FIRST LISTING ID: # Y180520FH - http://blog.taxi.com/forward/052918/
NEW ONE: # Y180711HS - http://blog.taxi.com/forward/071918/

thanks and take care!
Kai

[ttully]

Hi Kai,

Just comparing to the Mars track:
Yours definitely is not as rhythmically engaging!

The Mars track (as well as the other 2) are happy and upbeat..... yours is plodding and mechanical.
For a start....speed it up !!!

Remember, you are competing against the best of the best for these spots, (not just Taxi members).

Also, I just listened to about 7 of the other forwarded tracks...... All of them seemed very upbeat and engaging.

Just calling it as I see it,
Tim

[cosmicdolphin]

I think you have a little of the flavour of the era but it sounds pretty monotonous to me , just the same thing looping around ( i.e. the bass ) which isn't going to cut it for a $30k listing ..it sort of drags too ...too chilled for this Listing

[KaiE]

Hey Tim,

thanks for your feedback. Could you tell me what exactly you mean with "mechanical"?

Thanks and have a nice sunday,

Kai

Hi Kai,

Just comparing to the Mars track:
Yours definitely is not as rhythmically engaging!

The Mars track (as well as the other 2) are happy and upbeat..... yours is plodding and mechanical.
For a start....speed it up !!!

Remember, you are competing against the best of the best for these spots, (not just Taxi members).

Also, I just listened to about 7 of the other forwarded tracks...... All of them seemed very upbeat and engaging.

Just calling it as I see it,
Tim

[ttully]

Hi Kai,

By mechanical ..... I could say quantized.... and the same velocity.

Tim

[chrismugs]

Kai,

you have a really cool track. totally has that 90's hip-hop vibe. although, like others have stated, it's a bit laid back and not energetic enough for the listing (in my opinion). finesse, it takes two and the fresh prince tracks are all kind of party/uptempo tracks/dance-able instrumentals. yours sound more like, something that you could vibe to in the car. i think that's where the screener is pointing towards, when s/he is referring to melodically engaging. additionally, having a bassline that moves more like a lead, would bring you a bit closer to that party vibe. also, this is a 30k listing and the bar is uber high. nonetheless, still a good track though

[sermusicusa]

I peeped the track and its definitely 90's. Don't really know what they were looking for but if someone grouped 90's hiphop with Bruno Marr, they have no clue what they are talking about.
First of all Bruno Mars was not around in the 90's, at least not professionally.. He was still a kid. Secondly, he isn't hip hop, he is more soul/r&b... If you were looking for true 90's hip hop reference someone from the 90's, Gangstarr, Mobb Deep, Wu, Biggie etc. Or if its west coast mention Pac or Cube or Dre.

SInce they wanted something up tempo (dance-able?), I agree with Chris that its more like Rob Bass or Fresh Prince that would fit the bill, which is more top 40 hip hop which is what they did reference.

You're beat is tight, but its repetitive and more chill than what was probably needed. Seeing has how "Finesse" was released in 2018, I don't think that fits the bill of 90's.

When people write these listings they should be precise. I am a new member here and I have noticed the examples given for certain listings are a bit odd with what they are looking for. But I will say this, this one takes the cake for foolishness in regards to Bruno Mars. They could have left that out and just had the other 2. Then you would've gotten the idea better I bet.

[MathieuF]

Hi !

I like the track you did but as the others said, it's too "chill" to be "fun". Also, the bass line feels more like a "rock" (ish) line than a hip hop line, to me anyway. Definitely not something you'd hear a real groovy player play, in that style ! I might be wrong of course...but in my experience playing R&B, Hip-hop, funk, etc...That's not the kind of bass line I would hear for that groove (nice drums though).

That being said, I have to agree that this listing was misleading ! Using the Bruno Mars song as a reference totally threw me off...I also had a return on that listing...and my song was pretty damn close to the Bruno Mars song, so I don't get it that they told you that your track was not close enough to Bruno Mars...wtf

As a new member, I'm learning now that we have to read between the lines and sometimes we also have to judge by ourselves if the references are actually misleading.

[DesireInspires]

As a new member, I'm learning now that we have to read between the lines and sometimes we also have to judge by ourselves if the references are actually misleading.

Yes, this is critical.

I have seen sevarel listings with bad reference tracks, incorrect artist/track names, broken links to the references, etc. I never submit to those listings.

It is better to wait until a great listing comes along and send in 10 songs than to spread them around to multiple mediocre listings. Focus first!